Honestly, I didn't really like the first two albums, but this is such an incredible metal album. Such a huge step up.

Really really loved this. At times sounds a bit like Kate Bush, a bit Tori Amos, bits of Bowie and even early Elton. While the songs at best are okay (but incredible consistent), the production is stunning. It makes it just a joy to listen to. Everything is so well balanced. The vocals are equal parts powerful and delicate, the instrumentals are in your face but never feel like they're overshadowing something else in the mix.
If this is an industry plant, sign me up for another.

Just boring. Feel like I've heard all these songs before.

To open what is essentially a punk album with a 9 minute rock opera and pull it off is so impressive. Feels like a perfect mix of Eternity... and Sex, Death..., mixing their old horror punk sound with their evolved Jim Steinman inspired bombast. Great riffs, beautiful melodies and instantly catchy choruses throughout. While I don't think there is a stand-out song that I'll listen to obsessively like there has been on their previous albums (Down Below and Thorns of Love), that's only because the ... read more

The first 3 songs are exceptional. It then devolves into quite a generic pop album where I feel like I've heard most songs at Eurovision (not a bad thing). There are a few highlights that break through that though. Very enjoyable album.

The first 3 songs are so great that the rest of the album is just incredibly boring to me. It never comes anywhere near that good again with the possible exception of Fire Island which is really fun.

Not sure why this is getting such low ratings. It's really good despite probably being their weakest album up t this point. It's a bit long, fair. But I had a really good time listening to this.

Listening to this after the first 4, it really doesn't hold up. It's still great but easily the weakest of the first five.

I know people like to compare Tool to Rush, but to be fair, there's a bit in Parabola that sounds EXACTLY like Rush.

Also, I think I could listen to just Danny Carey's audio from this album and my rating would be the same. Genius.

Song ratings (not used for album rating):
Mr Rock & Roll - 8
This Is The Life - 9
Poison Prince - 9
Youth of Today - 9
Run - 8
Let's Start A Band - 7
Barrowland Ballroom - 7
L.A. - 8
A Wish for Something More - 8
Footballer's Wife - 8
The Road to Home - 7

Song ratings (not used for album rating):
Battery - 9
Master of Puppets - 9
The Thing That Should Not Be - 6
Welcome Home - 9
Disposable Heroes - 9
Leper Messiah - 8
Orion - 8
Damage, Inc. - 8

Honestly, this is far from the masterpiece people say it is. If I'm being even more honest, I think it's only marginally better than Kill 'Em All (which isn't really a bad thing).

Song ratings (not used for album rating):
Fight Fire With Fire - 6
Ride The Lightning - 7
For Whom The Bell Tolls - 8
Fade To Black - 9
Trapped Under Ice - 8
Escape - 8
Creeping Death - 9
The Call of Ktulu - 9

Song ratings (not used for album rating):
Strangers By Nature - 8
Easy On Me - 9
My Little Love - 8
Cry Your Heart Out - 7
Oh My God - 8
Can I Get It - 8
I Drink Wine - 9
All Night Parking - 7
Woman Like Me - 7
Hold On - 9
To Be Loved - 9
Love is a Game - 8

Song ratings (not used for album rating):
Hit The Lights - 8
The Four Horsemen - 9
Motorbreath - 7
Jump in the Fire - 6
(Anesthesia) Pulling Teeth - 8
Whiplash - 7
Phantom Lord - 7
No Remorse - 8
Seek and Destroy - 7
Metal Militia - 7

I was surprised by how good this was. Also, Tony Iommi is just as good here as he's always been.

Song ratings (not used for album rating):
Patient Number 9 - 7
Immortal - 6
Parasite - 7
No Escape From Now - 8
One of Those Days - 8
A Thousand Shades - 8
Mr Darkness - 8
Nothing Feels Right - 9
Evil Shuffle - 7
Degredation Rules - 7
Dead and Gone - 8
God Ony Knows - 6

This is easily her best album and my favourite of hers. During the first half, I really wanted to give this a 10, but there just isn't enough variety for me to give it a 10. I'm not saying every album needs big powerful songs or anything, but by the end, a lot of the songs kind of blend together and sound the same.

Song ratings (not used for my album rating):

willow - 9
champagne problems - 9
gold rush - 9
tis the damn season - 9
tolerate it - 8
no body, no crime - 9
happiness - 9
dorothea ... read more

Song ratings (not used for my album rating):

the 1 - 8
cardigan - 8
last great american dynasty - 8
exile - 7
my tears ricochet - 7
mirrorball - 7
seven - 7
august - 8
this is me trying - 7
illicit affairs - 7
invisible string - 7
mad woman - 7
epiphany - 9
betty - 8
peace - 8
hoax - 8

[Edit - changed from 4/10 to 6/10]

Pretty inconsistant, some good songs, some bad. Nowhere near as bad as I remember it being. Think it's just a bit forgettable.

[Edit: changed from 7/10 to 6/10]

It has moments but ultimately it's trying to sound like too many things that it doesn't really work.

Song ratings (not used for my score):
...Ready For It? - 7
End Game - 6
I Did Something Bad - 7
Don't Blame Me - 8
Delicate - 5
Look What You Made Me Do - 5
So It Goes... - 6
Gorgeous - 6
Getaway Car - 7
King Of My Heart - 6
Dancing With Our Hands Tied - 5
Dress - 5
This Is Why We Can't Have Nice Things - 5
Call It What You Want - 6
New Year's Day - 8

[Edit: gone from 9/10 to 8/10]

Gets really great towards the end but, like Red, it's let down by the first few songs being really weak.

Song breakdown (not used for my rating):
Welcome to New York - 6
Blank Space - 6
Style - 6
Out of the Woods - 8
All You Had To Do Was Stay - 8
Shake it Off - 7
I Wish You Would - 7
Bad Blood - 8
Wildest Dreams - 9
How You Get the Girl - 8
This Love - 8
I Know Places - 8
Clean - 8